Sail Life - EASY Starlink DC conversion & Ants EVERYWHERE 🤣

Starlink App guide: forum.peplink.com/t/starlink-...

[@jeremyroe]

I gotta say I really like how you and Ava have transitioned your channel from pure DIY to an active sailing channel by keeping the DIY going - so many channels do a complete shift I enjoy you keeping those bits around.

[@SailLife]

Thank you so much! You have no idea how glad I am to hear that :)

[@jordree]

Hey Mads - if you send drawings for the swivel part of the bow roller I would be happy to see if we could make it at the metal shop I work at. If we can do it I would like to donate it to Athena.

[@SailLife]

Wow, thank you so much! :) That is so freaking awesome :D There is one tricky little detail I have to figure out first but if drop me an email on [e-mail] then we can stay in touch :)

[@kennethdavis6911]

Don't beat yourself up too much about forgetting what's been done prior on your boat. You have put a massive amount of time and effort into refitting Athena so you deserve a bit of grace!

[@SailLife]

Haha, thanks :D

[@PondoSinatra680]

It wasn’t half-assed, it was quarter-assed.

[@denisbeaulieu958]

There are more “dooheekees” on this sailboat than a nuclear powered sub! When you decide to “upgrade “ and get a new boat, the new owner will require a dedicated library locker to store all the technical bulletins. Love my Sunday …with your creative video. 👍🇨🇦

[@SailLife]

Haha 😆

[@aserta]

If you've decided to write off the old counter top, clean both surfaces to bare wood and steam it inside a bag with a camping cooker and a pot of water with a hose to send the steam up to the bag. Once it's pliable, you can clamp it between some pieces of scrap wood or metal and leave it be to dry. Should come flat once it's done. For a more visual explanation, there's plenty of YT videos with people doing this kind of thing to make bent laminations, but the same thing can be done with a counter top or slab of wood. Just gotta use a bigger bag. 17:57 you just had a Gandalf in the mines moment. Happens to everyone. I forgot i'd already run wires for my exterior lights last year. Bought new cable, made preparations. It was already run, just waiting for input. :))

[@johncroucher1903]

Hope you find this tip helpful. When you removed the POE jumper for the router port you could have put it back on just one of the posts. This allows the jumper to remain readily assessable if needed in the future.

[@SailLife]

Great tip! 🙂

[@kaskl5403]

You have some of the best DIY boat videos.

[@SailLife]

Thank you so much! :)

[@UUBrahman]

@@SailLife "Glorious DIY Fun"

[@hmk..]

this is annoying. you are so good at what you do! well organized and everything is explained clearly. typical danish. the men do all the work at home.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Mads for the weekly video. Athena is a marvelous test bed for a huge amount of modern electronics and marine gear. You should have a side hobby publishing your reviews. Best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season to you and Ava.

[@WeAndTheSea]

And write detailed instruction best practises. That would be great.

[@stimpsonjcat67]

I always put jumpers that I don't need on a single pin just so it is still there if I ever need to use it in the future.

[@SailLife]

That's a good idea. I just put this one in the box of tiny doohikes :)

[@barrytimm5497]

Me too.

[@benoitlescot7270]

the sanding gods are really disapointed by your message @ 17:35, really thought you were gonna write "I ♥ sanding" 😆 the sanding gods feel left out and might start a small dust tornado next time 😂 - well done on the bounty points though 👍

[@kptbillburkett8735]

There is a Product called "Solid Surfacing". You can get it in any color you would like. With different specs or Glitter for a Lack a turm. Very Durable and very easy to fix if you scratch it. And you can shape it in any way you would like. Thank you for this weeks video. So until next week, Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii! Cheers 🍻

[@Sailingbad]

Ha I just bought Starlink lol. Thanks for the impeccable timing

[@SailLife]

Hope you enjoy it! :)

[@Finn-McCool]

15:39 It's called the "sink-top" by kitchen designers. Being one myself I can attest to its veracity. -✌🏽

[@SailingSisu]

Hey Mads! Another awesome episode of Sail Life! I also appreciate how you've kept the DIY aspect while transitioning to an active sailing channel, it's what sets you apart. And a big thank you for the weekly videos - Athena is a fantastic test bed for all the modern electronics and gear, maybe you should think about publishing reviews as a side hobby! Wishing you and Ava a wonderful holiday season! ⛵️

[@johnmayer3433]

It is the most amazing thing that you still find space for new installations!

[@johnmiglautsch4587]

Athena looks smaller out of the water :) Great watching your projects :)

[@SailLife]

Thank you! 😊

[@jeffmooreD40]

You will love the PepWave. I’ve been using one in the states for 2 years.

[@allsearpw3829]

Hi, yes another interesting video and have a great festive time , holiday your on one of a life time .🤔👍👍 and to all who watch , may your gods be with you ,👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@rogerarmstrong9206]

Hi Mads: I agree that with all the many upgrades and retro fixes you have done since the start of this adventure the Atta Boys far out weigh the oopses. You are amazing with all the different tasks you have tackled! Whenever I do project that involve OH GLORIOUS SANDING, I hear your voice. LOL

[@SailLife]

Haha :) Thank you so much!

[@brucevogel2693]

Best part, hands down..... yup, the dog interlude! Sorry but you left me in the dust with the techno palaver. Still curious if you intend to continue in your search for a project boat. Still got my attention and certainly appreciate all your skills. Regular Renaissance Man.

[@SailLife]

Ah yes my little buddy 🙂 Him and his girlfriend (or perhaps his mother) come around almost every day. We plan on intensifying our search for a boat this summer when we’re back in the US 🙂 There a few boats I’d like to check out here in the Caribbean but I would much prefer to do the refit in the US (more and cheaper materials)

[@antonynr]

Looking at the jumpers for the Dishy Dualie, I see you left the PoE jumper off - I always leave it connected to a single pin, so if in the future you change the system, at least you know where the jumper is!!

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Get a few silicone bronze screws and anchor the counter top down and pull that warp flush.

[@GTLee9]

Hey I have one of the Dishy Dualies too. I haven’t installed it yet though. I modified all the proprietary cable ends to RJ45s. I use it on our motorhome.

[@ronaldwarren5220]

You, sir are an amazing geek.

[@melissahanshaw342]

Hey! Thanks for the amazing post-it notes organizing idea ! We just did ours today. We are working on a complete total renovation of a house ! It is working great!

[@bryanwatt9751]

Cool, love my Acuca!

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Check out a countertop material called Coverply from Paperstone. It is made in Washington state from paper fiber plies saturated with water based polymers. The surface is available in a variety of colors and is very durable. It can be left matte or polished to a satin sheen.

[@ianwilson8410]

For a vacuum cleaner, I use the Dewalt wet/dry vacuum. It has a 2 gallon capacity and it very light weight. It’s cordless and the hose fits on my other Dewalt tools. Uncle Jeff has them on sale for less than $120 US.

[@maryjnorwood3962]

Mads, you’ve never half assed anything. You rock! 😎🥰

[@SailLife]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@maryjnorwood3962]

@@SailLife 🥰

[@johnmiglautsch4587]

You sure have a lot of 'oh glorious electronic doohickies' - hope you never get hit by lightning :)

[@SailLife]

I would love it if we could avoid getting hit by lightning! If we do we have a really good insurance 🙂

[@johnmiglautsch4587]

Have you looked into the Tesla lightning doohickie that Sailing Dauntless put on their mast?@@SailLife

[@sailingaroundtheworld1427]

By the way I have put a RJ45 on the Starlink Router as well as on the Dishy so I now have no more proprietary connectors and can connect using the starlink router with a RJ45 to RJ45 connector and I can use my Peplink via a POE injector towards the Dishy. So less junk on board at least 8meters of UTP ;-)

[@aserta]

1:51 that should be sufficient for the most part. You could also help that bolt by having a hook for the chain that lifts it off the roller/shaft at anchor, holding it unto the bracket (that is, if you see it bend again, which should be easy to notice, by rotating the bolt). It's the big waves that get you with stuff like this. When you're stateside, even if it's a ludicrous size, upsize the shaft. If it's worth it, it's worth overdoing. edit: also, if you feel reasonably afraid things might swing under when you change that anode, you could (at the same machine shop) machine those threaded rods from thicker material to allow you to make the ends (sticking in the boat) as D shafts. A single plate between them with the D shaft holes in it, will secure the rods beyond any shadow of a doubt and allow you safe change of the anode under water. Just mention it to the machinist when you're in there and they'll know immediately what needs to be done. It's one of the most common methods of keeping things from spinning.

[@kevinlytle6215]

Mads what follows is an opinion and not a comment on your work! I am very impressed always with the things you do that I will never likely attempt! Love the choices you make always and am a big fan of the PepWave products. Use them in public safety mobile connection kits and other use cases. Anyone who has more knowledge of RF than I please correct me as this is not fact just my opinion based on working with RF systems and issues seen in the field. Here is 2 cents worth of my opinion! ;-) Mads I see that you have the cellular antennas almost touching the power strip... The power strip especially if it provides surge protection or has an inverter for USB etc can/might cause interference with your signal. It is the quality of the inverters and surge components in the strip and anything plugged into it that can cause issues. Not likely but worth considering... Try testing signal strength and performance with the strip un-powered and powered then powered with a load like AC adapters and a USB power adapter or the internal USB power cord under load if present. Just want to ensure the Cellular is not affected. I am sure you already considered the cellular antennas being so low down in the boat and so near noise sources may lower reception and ability to hit the cell network in that location. I use some really good all-in-one outdoor and wind rated antennas that are not cheap but work great if you want a reference to the product. I just use them don't work for them. Hope to meet you when you hit the states. Say hello to the most lovely person on the interwebs for us! My family also watch with me sometimes! You hit the jackpot with her!

[@stevencook9167]

great visit

[@ahbushnell1]

put a note on the epoxy surface that says it's coated.

[@phillipmetcalf9404]

Neat adapter for Star link power. One less inverter load wasting power.

[@SailLife]

True! Especially considering it’s the only thing running on our inverter during the night and a very light load (not as efficient) 🙂

[@MultiBmorgan]

If your going to be in the Los angeles or san diego area in that coking 6 months or later. We just had to remodel after a flood😢 and have an extra slab of quartz. The dimensions are 3/4” thick 31.5” wide by 79” in length. I’d be happy to deliver it and say hi. I have a pic of your interested. Thanks for all the videos😊

[@svpolarexpress]

My recommendation would be to cut the Starlink cable to length and convert the ends resulting from the single cut to RJ45. If you ever want to go back to the original router, you'd only need a female-female RJ-45 adapter.

[@CawffeeTyme]

you say that you have ants everywhere, just wait til the uncles join them! LOL

[@SailLife]

Actually we have two different spices aboard. We're turning into a freaking zoo 😂 I think I have gotten rid of the ones in the chain-locker but there are some tiny ones too. The small ones are much nicer - they don't bite or anything. I'm okay with those until we get the boat back in the water. They seem to be coming aboard looking for sugar. Getting rid of them would be an up hill battle

[@svveritas9704]

We had a small company in California convert our Starlink to 12v. They integrated the router into the dish, modified the dish board to run on 12V, potted the unit, the only wire to the dish is a 12V cable. Unique Componentry is the name of the company. Power consumption is way down.

[@SailLife]

That sounds awesome! 🙂

[@bigmikes2140]

Use “Send Cut Send” to cut and bend the part you need made. Send them a file and they will mail you a completed part

[@boatsontv2BCTV]

Mads, if you were to sell the boat do you think the "User Manual" will be bigger than War & Peace?

[@jeffalexander544]

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

[@stephensidaras7416]

The chain will jump out of the roller and run down the side of the boat until the stanchion stops it. Be careful.

[@dcallan812]

Put your autograph on the nude board and epoxy over.. 🤣 Great update 2x👍

[@WeSixKings]

@ 8:29 it sounded like you said "pewie" instead of POE 😂

[@billywhizz6483]

Good to see more DIY! I wondered why you didn't drill out the 8mm hole on the original flip up doohicky and replace the roller thing with the new one and 12mm bolt as I think the current set up looks like the chain is going to risk damaging your forestay attachment (03:47)? The flip up thingy would protect that, no?

[@bryanwilson9029]

Get a local to plane the counter flat again. Will be thinner but a great cheap option until you figure out the next surface.

[@carlpickerell4919]

If you want to power your router or other electronic devices with POE but it doesn’t support it, get a POE extractor. It has a small you plug your Poe Ethernet into and the box as a unpowered rj45 output and a power output. You can get them with barrel plugs, usb a, usb c, exc. I use them to power raspberry pi’s using Poe.

[@JimKJeffries]

And cameras too. Great suggestion

[@abladd]

I have Corian counters in my 5th Wheel kitchen (w/ stainless undermount sink) & bathroom (with 1 piece counter & sink) for 3 years. Mom has had the 1 piece counter & sink in her bathroom for about 15 years. We BOTH do not like the countertops -especially with the 1 piece sink- & would not recommend or install them again.

[@SailLife]

Thanks for the comment :) Might I ask why you don't like them? :)

[@ysesq]

dish v3 should be POE so can avoid dishy dualie

[@SailLife]

Yeah but you still need to step up from 12/24/48 to 57V from what I’ve read 🙂

[@texarama]

No more projects until you fix the trim on the nav station support pole!!!!! ;-)

[@SailLife]

Oh boy do I have good news for you ;) That is on the todo list in a few weeks :D

[@wilfwilliams]

Saw somewhere that you could rout out a slot for a stainless strap in the underside of the counter top, this stops it warping

[@donzimari]

How did you get the dishy box so soon I thought they were going to release mid January love your videos

[@SailLife]

I just ordered it from their website back in the summer. Maybe they’re just releasing them in batches 🙂 I had seen lots of forum post of people using them before I ordered.

[@jeffalexander544]

Just EPIC!…Peace Out!

[@SailLife]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@mortenjrgensen4630]

See you Mads🇩🇰👍🏼

[@stephencoulter9205]

It’s always better to fully ass something than half assed

[@svjuno]

Definitely the easiest 12/24v conversion but also probably the most expensive. Does that power supply have certifications? I used a passive Poe++ injector and a Victron dc2dc 24-48 power supply. The victron even allows for voltage adjustments to compensate for long cable runs voltage drop.

[@SailLife]

I think you're right about the price vs ease :) What I think is nice about this solution is that anyone can do it - even people that don't like to tinker.

[@perkaaberjrgensen1807]

Tjek lige episode 34 fra onboard lifestile (basik) mht ny pantry bordplade. Det ser ud til en lettere løsning end corion.

[@olumjumi]

I was hoping for information about your starlink dc conversion. I do hope you talk about it in a future episode. Power consumption and expected savings. would it have been easier to install a true sinewave inverter in the 500 watt range.?

[@SailLife]

I would say installing the Dishy Dualie is as easy as installing a small inverter :) A small inverter would have been less efficient and not as robust (by switching the Starlink router we can now have 4G as a backup)

[@BRuas9080]

I’m thinking about installing one in my boat, but I’m in doubt about how the gen 2 actuators work. Does your antenna kept realigning as the boat moves, even at anchor? I’m abroad and here they still sell the gen 2 antenna. The less power hungry gen 2 is a plus, but I don’t know if this is the best option (due to the presence of the motors) or if it’s better to wait for the gen 3 antenna. Disabling the motors would not be the ideal solution for me as I intend to also use the antenna at my house.

[@HansWeberHimself]

Yay.

[@sailingaroundtheworld1427]

Hi Mad, great review on Peplink, questions do you have the pepwave EU of Global version ? I don't know what your plans are but maybe when you go to the US it will be better to order the Global Version.

[@Nilezy]

Also please wear a mask when doing any sanding!! We want you doing videos for a long time!

[@karlfair]

Liked

[@SCOTT-vm5nj]

Hey Mads, did you get 2 of everything?

[@MichaelCollins-the-other-fella]

Wood countertop tops, no matter how well sealed, always end up warping. Great for a weekender boat. Not so good for high use installations.

[@bscott3211]

Is there a noticeable power savings converting from ac to dc powering Dishy?

[@astier59]

Hej Mads. God video. Jeg kan ikke huske om du gjorde i en tideligere video, men hvis du ikke har, så er det værd og overveje at putte en god 5G marineantenne, øverst på din mast. jeg har erfaringer hvor jeg kan fange 3G, 20 Mbit. på over 20 km afstand til sendemasten. jo højre antennen er jo bedre. jeg brugte en Procom antenne, men du kan nok finde billigere og bedre, bare husk at den gerne skal kunne 3G, 4G og 5G, så kan du sejle okay langt fra kysten og stadig have billigt internet. 3 og 4G til når du sejler og 5G i havn :)

[@petrospapapanagiotou]

@3:47 it seems to me like the chain is rubbing on your forestay. If that's the case, you should address that...

[@flossey100]

💖💖💖🎄🇦🇺

[@mikaoyry9144]

I ❤Marja

[@pocketchange1951]

👍👌❤️🇨🇦

[@graphics80]

You might have to rewatch your videos, to remember what you have already done...

[@M0JHN]

Ahhh now I miss seeing your dog Mads! 😢

[@SailLife]

Me too but I know he’s better off in Denmark. He would have been absolutely miserable in this heat 😬

[@MarkLawrenceKiefer]

Get the new countertop in the US. You will have more options.

[@bdphourde]

There may be nothing quite so satisfying as thinking you made a mistake and then reallizing you didn't! But if you DID epoxy that countertop, why did it warp? I had heard last year that Starlink had cracked down on their requirement that Mobile use units must remain shore. That if you wanted to use the service offshore, it would have to be done under the Marine use plan. You know, the one that costs MUCH more because if the user can afford to own a YACHT, he can afford to pay any price they want to charge!

[@randyfryling641]

Can you please comment on your cool blue Refrigeration. Now it has been working awhile. Thanks

[@SailLife]

It's a rockstar :) No issues just chucking along :)

[@omvaren]

Wood always warps when it's sealed on only one side. I am sorry I did not tell you before :)

[@dalebuckley6073]

It's going to be cool , when you get a big ass catamaran empty hull. And go nuts.

[@TigRdk]

Hej Mads Hvad med bare at få slebet jeres nuværende bordplade plan hos en "træmand" med en stor høvl-maskine? Den bliver måske lidt tyndere men kan benyttes as is igen?

[@SxWerks]

Mads, My wife is a Trini and wants to know if you have had a good Trini Roti or a Doubles.

[@SailLife]

I’ve had one really good roti and one that was a surprise 😂 The first one was the one with the surprise. I didn’t know you could ask for boneless and was surprised to find more bone than chicken. For the second roti a local friend took me to a different place and ordered boneless. That was really good! 🙂 I haven’t tried a doubles yet 🙂

[@SxWerks]

@@SailLife When Ava returns you must take her to Maracas Bay and have a Shark ‘n’ Bake at the this beautiful beach. 🏖️

[@geoffreystrange1]

Are you available to consult on electric system install on new 37 catamaran?

[@drjasper100]

My god Mav’s, if you ever get hit by lightening, you’re going to be fucked! 😂

[@SailLife]

No no - the insurance company is going to be fucked 😉😂

[@podocrypto6072]

Why would the power consumption of the new Starlink Non-Articulating dish be more than the Articulating dish, when most of the power consumption in cause by the power articulation actuators or motors? I think you should check that out.

[@SailLife]

You have that wrong :) The motors almost never move. Starlink uses dynamic beamforming. They don't use the motors to track the satellites.

[@podocrypto6072]

@@SailLife What causes the dish to articulate and point towards the satellite? It's my understanding that if that was disabled, it reduces power consumption by close to 40%, according to some techs that have disabled the tracking to keep the dish in a fixed flat position.

[@SailLife]

​@@podocrypto6072 That has not been our experience :) The dish will orient itself when first turned on, but there can be no movement for days after that. The dish does not move to track the satellites as they fly overhead; the phased array does that. The common reason I have heard for people disabling the motors is not to save power but rather to keep a connection in bumpy seas. Generally, when we're sailing, our dish goes flat by itself (and stays perfectly still). On the Atlantic crossing, I stowed and unstowed the dish. After that, the dish didn't go flat for a day or so (no idea why). While it wasn't flat, we had a horrible connection (or no connection), but as soon as it decided to go flat, the connection was rock solid. Keep in mind that this was a downwind sail with a following sea, so it was very rolly. Someone told me that the reason for the dish not always just being flat is to avoid spamming a bunch of satellites that are in orbit around the equator. Perhaps the motors were more so needed back when Starlink didn't have as many satellites in orbit to ensure you're oriented in the best possible direction. Still, I don't think the motors have ever been used for actual tracking. Our Stalink seemed to be using around 70W with the standard router. 40% of 70W would be a lot of movement. I have never seen that :)

[@crystalr.forbes8982]

Mads idea of « shameful wiring » is far, far removed from many of the network closets of doom I have encountered in my traveling IT geek days. Keep up your standards of excellence, sir! 🫡

[@inventiveowl395]

Sorry... Ants? *Ants?* I've heard of rats onboard but ants? Hm. Let's watch the video to see where they pop up xdd - ah. That makes sense xD 3:44 - I indeed am able to see that the bowroller is rotating freely but I'd like to point out that the nut on the bolt is rotating with it.. It's aahhh.. feature, not a bug? 14:05 - As an electrician that's just another heartfelt *bruh..* Paranoid? Nah. Just experienced. From grounding bars with 24+ V on them through rat's nests of hundreds of tiny 0,5mm wires all the way to shiny coins in stead of fuses..

[@SailLife]

I totally agree... ants > rats 😂 Good eye! I'll call that a feature. It's rotating very slow. That properly has a lot to do with the vibration. I don't think that will be an issue over the next six months

[@sebastiand2990]

Why a DC convertor for your Starlink? Regardless if the unit is drawing power from an AC or DC source at 12, 24, 48, 110 or 220V, it is essentially drawing the same amount of energy in watts from the power source?

[@SailLife]

With the standard router we were taking DC from the batteries and converting that to AC and then the Starlink router would convert it back to DC. Now we’re skipping the AC step. I would estimate we’re saving somewhere in the range of 10-15% (keeping in mind that our big inverter is not the most efficient with such a small load).

[@archstanton9206]

I must admit I have never experienced the joy of finding I didn't half-a$$ a project when I thought I had. I have, however, experienced the op--er...inverse..anyway I have found I indeed did half-a$$ a job when I thought I had not. If ya get my drift...

[@jackrabbit5047]

Not clear why that anchor roller pin bent - there should never be any strain on it. Surely you use a snubber at anchor?

[@SailLife]

Yes while anchoring we use a snubber but while bringing up the anchor there can be some load on the pin.

[@jeffvoight6586]

Little pile of Euros just waiting to spill into the forever-hole around that galley hand rail...

[@kenlynch6332]

⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵

[@wannabe_sailor_777smith6]

Mads, you have gadgetitis worse than me and that’s saying something. I love the technology you are investing in however I hope it doesn’t cause trouble going forward.

[@SailLife]

If a doohickey fails we'll simply do without for a while :)

[@dickdaley9059]

Mads is just too disciplined in his work habits to rush through projects that can result in water damages or mold intrusion. 👍

[@lipa90]

:D

[@SailLife]

Thanks :D

[@bentaylor4570]

If you are looking at man made “stone” already i would like to know why you hinted at corian over others like silestone.

[@kleincamper]

How did you know you where 6 and 1/2 minutes into the video?? 🤔

[@SailLife]

After 10 years on KZbin you pick up some tricks 😉

[@kleincamper]

@@SailLife 😀 Well done!

[@mitsmillman1652]

Need a boat 3d printer

[@SailLife]

I would love one! In fact I was looking at the A1 mini but we can't get one in time without the AMS and there is not enough room aboard for the AMS.

[@mitsmillman1652]

I love My x1 carbon!

[@animapulcra9205]

Ants or termites?

[@SailLife]

Ants :)

[@svbarryduckworth628]

Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants!

[@SailLife]

Haha :D